Labelling apparatus



Filed Dec. 1, 1955 INVENTOR DAVID LONG ATTORNEY United States Patent 1O LABELLING APPARATUS David I. Long, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Long and lCoiipany Inc, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Mary- Application December 1, 1955, Serial No. 550,276

2 Claims. (Cl. 216-60) This invention relates to labelling apparatus of an automatic or semi-automatic type wherein the label feed is controlled by the advance of the work to be labelled in such a manner that only one label can be applied to each work element.

With labelling apparatus of conventional types, the superimposition of labels on containers or other work elements is quite frequent, producing unsightly products which must be rejected and rehandled.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide labelling apparatus comprising a label applying station, feed means for applying work elements along a predetermined path to the station, label feeding means for advancing labels to the station, intermittent driving means actuating the label feeding means to advance a label to the station during each cycle of its operation, driving means imparting relative movement to the work elements and labels at the station, and trip means disposed in the path of the work elements connected with the intermittent driving means to initiate a label feeding cycle.

The work feed means preferably includes a work support inclined downwardly towards the station so that the work, such as cylindrical cans, will gravitate to their label receiving positions. At the label applying station, the work elements are preferably received on one or more rollers driven to rotate the work in order that a label fed thereto will be properly applied. The intermittent driving means actuating the label feeding means preferably includes an electric motor and the trip means includes a motor energizing switch in circuit with the motor. A holding switch operated by the motor is preferably connected in parallel with the motor energizing switch so that each time a cycle is initiated by the motor energizing switch, the motor actuated switch will be closed to maintain the circuit throughout the cycle even though the closure of the motor energizing switch is only momentary. The motor circuit holding switch may be operated by a cam driven by the motor, the length of the cycle being determined by the motor speed and cam configuration.

A more complete understanding of the invention will follow from a detailed description of the schematic drawing, the single figure of which depicts an arrangement of the elements for purposes of illustration only, partially in section, partially broken away and partially isometric.

The work elements 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 are depicted as cylindrical and may assume the form of cans of the type customarily used in the preservation of foods. The can is shown as located at the label applying station where it is peripherally supported on an idler roller 20 and a roller 22 secured to a shaft 24 to the other end of which there is secured a spur gear 26 in mesh with a spur gear 28 driven by a shaft 30 carrying a sprocket 32 whose chain 34 is in turn driven by a sprocket 36 secured to the shaft 38 of a motor 40. The spur gear 28 also meshes with a suitably supported idler gear 42 in turn meshing with a spur gear 44 secured to a shaft 45. Also secured to the shaft 45 is a feed roller 46 forming a bight with a pressure roller 48 biased towards contact therewith. A fountain roller 50 is secured to the shaft 30 and is partially received in a body of adhesive 62 carried by a fountain 54. A doctor blade 56 maintains a desired film thickness of adhesive on the fountain roller 50.

Labels 58 arranged in a stack on a suitable support 60 are fed one by one to the bight between the rollers 46 and 48 by means of a vacuum head 62 by any suitable mechanism, schematically illustrated as a link 64 pivotally connected at one end to the shank 66 of the vacuum head and at the other to a crank pin 68 carried by an ececentric or crank 70 which is secured to the shaft 72 of a motor 74. Movement of the vacuum head and its shank is restrained by a cam member 76 having an upper cam surface 78 and a lower cam surface 80 adapted to engage a follower 82 carried by the shank 66 of the vacuum head.

The configuration of the cam surfaces is such that when the motor 74 is energized to initiate a cycle, the vacuum head is elevated together with the uppermost label which is maintained in contact therewith by means of a vacuum pump connected to the vacuum head through a flexible hose 84. The vacuum head and label will then move towards the right and downwardly as viewed in the draw ing until the leading edge of the label enters the bight between the feed rollers 46 and 48 at which point an operator 86 for a valve 88 carried by the vacuum head engages an abutment 90, closing the valve and releasing the label. The label then travels from left to right from the rollers 46 and 48 over the fountain roller 50 until its leading edge to which adhesive has now been applied engages one or more guide elements 92 which separate it from fountain roller 50 and direct it into contact with the periphery of the work element 10, whereupon the clockwise travel of the can will complete the application of the label. At this point, the labelled can 10 will be removed from the label applying station manually or automatically, permitting the next can to gravitate towards and upon the rollers 20 and 22 at the label applying station.

During this downward travel of the can 12, it strikes a trip element 94 to close a microswitch 96 whose terminals are connected with conductors 98 and 100. These conductors are also connected to the terminals of a cam actuated switch 102 whose follower 104 is driven by a cam 106 secured to the shaft of the motor 74. The motor 74 has one of its terminals connected through a lead 108 to the conductor 98 and its other terminal connected through a lead 110 to a conductor 112 constituting one side of a source of supply. The other side of the source of supply is connected to a conductor 114 to which the conductor is connected by a lead 116. The terminals of the motor 44 are connected directly to the conductors 112 and 114.

Accordingly, when the main switch 118 is closed, the motor 40 will be energized imparting movement to the feed rollers 46 and 48, to the fountain roller 50 and to the work rotating roller 22. As the can 12 trips the microswitch, the motor 74 will be energized and immediately its cam 106 will close the switch 102 providing a holding circuit for the motor 74 after the can 12 has passed beyond the trip. The cam 106 is depicted as containing one recess so that when the shaft 72 has completed one revolution, the switch 102 will open and since the switch 96 has already opened, the motor 74 will stop. Suitable braking mechanism, not shown, can be employed to prevent undesired overtravel of the motor. During the operating cycle of the motor 74, the vacuum head will elevate the uppermost label and then shift it towards the feed rollers 46 and 48 until closure of the valve 88 releases the label whereupon the vacuum head will return to its initial position in engagement with the newly exposed label and will come to rest until the next can 14 has engaged the trip to initiate a new cycle.

Whereas the use of the vacuum head for feeding the labels has been illustrated for purposes of example, and whereas various mechanical movements. of particular types have been schematically shown, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other arrangements can be substituted without departing from the present concept, and accordingly, the invention should not be limited to the illustration or description beyond the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Labelling apparatus comprising a label applying station providing a work element support, feed means for supplying work elements having cylindrical peripheral portions along apredetermined path to said support, label feeding means for advancing labels to said station, an intermittent driving electric motor actuating said label feeding means to advance a label to said station during each cycle of its operation, driving means engaging said cylindrical pontions and imparting rotation to said work ele, ments at said station; a supply circuit including said motor aeaasqa and a switch; an actuator driven by said motor closing and opening said switch at the beginning and termination respectively, of each label feeding cycle; and trip means disposed in spaced relationship to said station in the path of said work elements responsive to movement of each work element to said station and connected with said motor to initiate a label feeding cycle prior to the arrival of the cycle initiating work element to said support.

2. Labelling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuator is a cam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 13, 1955 

